Shimano Announces New Gravity-Oriented Pedals, Shoes

Shimano has a new range of pedals and shoes on the way, including the first clipless pedal to wear the Saint badge. Take a look at the full details below, but before you reach for your wallet, keep in mind that these products aren't scheduled to be available until November 2017.

Saint M820 Clipless Pedals

The M820 is Shimano's the first Saint-branded clipless pedal, developed over the last three years with extensive input from Neko Mulally and Sam Dale, two downhill racers that are notoriously hard on their equipment. It might not be the most elegant looking pedal, but Shimano decided to prioritize durability over everything else when they created the M820.

The pedal doesn't have the pop-up clip-in mechanism found on the M646, which reduces the number of moving parts, and also reduces the likelihood of damage when it's smashed into rocks or roots. The chomoly axle was also designed to be nearly indestructible, able to withstand the forces generated from repeated hard landings and other impacts. Claimed weight is 546 grams per pair. MSRP: $160 USD.

Saint M828 Flat Pedal

Shimano's previous Saint flat pedals were reliable workhorses, but in the years since their introduction they began to become overshadowed by the thinner and wider options hitting the market. Shimano's response is the new M828, with an octagon shaped body and 12 pins on each side. The pedals are 1mm thinner in the center than they are at the front and the back, but the use of different pin lengths (5mm front and rear, 3.5mm in the center) helps to exaggerate this and create even more grip underfoot. Weight is a claimed 493 grams. MSRP: $180 USD

XT M804 Flat Pedal

Shimano will be offering two different sizes of their new XT flat pedals, one with a 100 x 105mm platform (460 grams), and the other with a 110 x 115mm platform (503 grams) in order to accommodate a wider range riders. After all, there's really no point in having a massive pedal if you have tiny feet, and vice versa. The concave pedals have 10 pins on each side that are available in 3mm and 5mm lengths. MSRP: $100 USD

The AM9 now has a speed lace system and a quicker drying upper.

AM9 Shoes

The shape of the Shimano's popular AM9 downhill shoe remains relatively unchanged, but they now have a speed lace system, as well as an upper that's constructed from a quicker drying material to help keep them from getting saturated on wet rides. MSRP: $150 USD.

AM7 Shoes

The AM7 is aimed at enduro racers and all-mountain riders, with a slightly stiffer sole than the AM9 - they're a 6 on Shimano's scale, while the AM9s are a 5. Mesh side panels help with ventilation, while neoprene gaiter helps keep debris from working its way into the shoes. There's no missing the bright lime green color, but there's also a more subdued grey / blue version for riders who'd rather keep a lower profile. MSRP: $130 USD.

GR9 / GR7 Shoes

Not into clipping in? Shimano also introduced new flat pedal versions of the AM9 and AM7 - the GR9 and GR7. Michelin has stepped into handle the sole's rubber compound, and while Shimano does admit that the shoes may not be the absolute stickiest on the market, they say that they've achieved a level of grip that should work well for all riders.

They've got a thinner profile and a bigger platform than the current-generation Saint MX80s.
That being said, they dropped the through-pins and are selling them for three times the price. At that price the XTs and the Saint flats had better have sealed bearings, which was really my only gripe with the MX80s.

Haha. Not to Shimano. HT has nothing to worry about. Still the best pedals, clips and flats ever made. And the most amazig thing is you can actually get replacement parts for when you wear stuff out. Imgagine that Shimano, replacement parts for pedals so you can keep them longer.

@DandelionDan: What's your gripe with the MX80s? They're heavy, and they really should have gotten sealed bearings, but they have survived years of my abuse, have great grip, have adjustable height throughpins, and can be had for $60.

They're not my favorite pedals, but I'm in no rush to replace them. I think they're great pedals for the price.

@jlobes: the cone bearing system is way more reliable than sealed cartridge bearings, as long as you have a mechanic adjust them for you right when they develop play the first time. The bearings are smooth, and better than any cartridge. Sealed bearings are a joke compared to shimano cone bearings when it comes to quality and durability. Why or how did you have problems? Mine were flawless, but I did have a pair I neglected that got a little loose.

I have been reliably informed Sram power links work fine with Shinano chains. This means I can create a real mongrel of a 1x10 - Works ring, Shimano chain, Sunrace cassette, Sram powerlink and Zee mech with Uberbike pulleys. Winner winner chicken dinner

Shimano need to make something heavier duty than the xt/xtr trail pedals, and lighter than these saint or dx clipless pedals. I like my SPD mechanisms and i like my enduro specific marketing buzzworded niche products!

Well you could get some DX pedals and drill a few holes in to the plastic part!

But personally I like the Shimano way, to have pedals a bit heavier but build them amazingly durable (I can't believe the amount of bashing my DX pedals have sustained without ANY loss of functionality).Especialy, if you know how much pain in the ass it is, to have a mechanical with your pedal.

I hope the marketing department hasn't figured this out...because to me it seams that for 9/10 people, shimano pedals last for lifetime.

I'm with you here. There is NOTHING progressive about these products. At the very least they could have made them look good.
They're late to the party, they look awful and there's nothing new to make them competitive. They're not even cheap. Larger platform on the XT pedal is the only good thing I can spot here.

@robwhynot: that is some bad luck. I hit mine all the time. Lots of hard strikes since what we have here are rocks and more rocks, and they have been going strong for about 2500 miles and a year and a half.

@RedRedRe: I have the answer rove r2. They are 427 grams, which is about in between the Shimanos and Spanks. I recently crashed so hard the pedal bent sideways in the slx hollowtech crank. pedal fine; cranks went into the trash.

Canfield Ultimate's are $150 and weigh in at 342g. And they come in all sorts of colors! My choice for flats when I rode them. I'm riding VP Components VX Adventure Race, which weigh in at 462g and cost only $80. I'd love to run the Saints, but it doesn't seem justifiable. Glad they finally released one though.

@amrskipro: I literally just ordered the new OneUp pedals to replace my PI pedals. The length is nice but the grip sucks and they aren't nearly wide enough for my size 14 feet. So there ya go, someone who has tried them and isn't keeping them

@amrskipro: I think I've been running these for a year or so (right when they came out, preordered them). I've got four pairs. On the commuter bike, cargo bike, mountainbike and mountain unicycle. If I pedal hard on any other pedal it just feels wrong. So yeah, these are addictive .

I'm fine with the way they are now, but the most recent version has got more and longer pins than the first batch.

I find it funny when people comment on how much components for their bike weigh and try to get super light bikes. Yet a lot of people don't worry about their own weight while eating some Taco Bell and chugging a Mt. Dew lol. Nothing towards you, but yes these are heavy.

As is typical Shimano...they are not heavy they are heavy duty. Doubt people that run these will end up wearing them out any time soon. My current Saint and XTR SPD pedals have taken a beating without any issues. My brother on the other hand has killed multiple pairs of flats from other brands in the past three seasons.

Why do DH/platform pedals always go for the water proof/minimal venting approach? I live in CO where rain is rare. My feet get roasting half way through a sunny lift day in 5-10 and similar shoes. Neoprene ankle glove is the very last thing I want on my feet. I'd love a highly vented platform shoe instead.

Not sure how the flat pedal ends up costing more than the SPD, but ok.
Interested to try the saints, I'm still on M647 DX pedals even on trail bike as I didn't like the feel of the XT trails! best ever made.

so no spring loaded clip in facility...despite inventing it? you must be MAD to buy these and not DMRs, which are so darn effective. Bonkers to leave that ability behind... when's the last time that got bust by a rock... like never..

I think a little extra weight on pedals provides better feel and feedback. Besides being more durable. I have been running some of the newer, superlight/superthin pedals and did like the lack of feedback. All pros seem to be riding the taller ones.

M820 pedals weigh almost the same as the M647, yet lack the pop up binding that made them great, and cost significantly more. All Shimano really had to do was make the M647 less fugly! Will be looking elsewhere to replace my two pairs of M647...if they ever die.

It's for DH riding, if you become unclipped in a techy or rough section and don't get a break to clip back in, it gives you a platform to stand on, just until you can clip back in. Better than trying to balance on a tiny slippy metal lump.

Some riders, like myself, feel more connected to the bike clipped in with a platform.
On the other extreme is crankbrothers egg beaters and with no platform all the pressure is on a focussed area of your foot. Even with really stiff soled shoes the pressure is focussed.
Btw, I'm talking Xc and trail. I wear flats for DH.

@robwhynot: truth. I've never had a pair of shoes stiff enough to not give me hotspots on platform-less clipless pedals. & the platform adds some friction to the float, so you don't feel like your riding on ice skates.

I think they're for people that still don't know how to clip in properly. It gives him a platform to stand on. I can ride my Clips like their Flats. I wish I could ride my flats like they were clips. My shins tell a different story.

If you use a shoe with a skate style sole like 510 clip less, you can have the feel of flats while clipped, ie no radical pivoting feel like trail/xc options. You will be clipped, but get the feedback from the pedal much like flats. You can feel the platform under you, instead of a center pivot floating feel.

i'm going to be holding off until CRC gets some in stock as you'd have to be mental to pay that MSRP, as at those prices i'd rather just get some crank brothers also mainly because at least it's easy to get a service kit for them.

To start with sh!t talking, the lack of the lace up in the AM9 is a mistake. that being said, I want to give those clipless saints a try. i switched to mallets, but long for the ease of use and adjust-ability of spd. so these seem like a good option save the utilitarian look.

The shoes look really good but the pedals seem a little disappointing, the XT flat looks nice but the new saint clip seems very underwhelming after what seems like the longest wait for a new product ever.
After all this time hoping for an updated pedal to replace my M647s its a bit disappointing, expensive too.

I am forever pulling the flap open on my AM9s on trail debri. Does anyone else have this issue? I really like the shoe, comfortable light and reasonable strong but I am starting to think they are not ideal for trail use

Every Shimano pedal I have had of the last 25 years has been bomb proof. Zero issues, other than one set of 535's from back in the day. My current XT trail pedals are 5-6 years old and I have never touch them. What are you doing to destroy the bearings?

Must be an XC thing. XTR pedals last 6-12 months (4000-6000 miles) before the spindles have 1/4" (or more) of play in them, bushings completely shot. It's nice to get new ones but warrantying them is a pain, I'm slowly switching over to SPD pedals with sealed bearings like offerings from Xpedo and ISSI as the weight is the same, cost is the same, and bearing durability seems much improved.

@bman33: Could be. Tough to put pedals that heavy on a 20# XC bike. XTR's are 100g heavier than several other competitors offerings in that range, and if they're also less durable, well.... there you go.

I'm kinda surprised you trail/gravity guys have no issues with durability of the Shimano bearing/bushing system. I've seen the XT's and XTR's stacked up at shops with massive bearing slop from 140# XC guys after a race season or two.

@davidccoleman: I have a set of XT trail pedals on my enduro bike...several years old. No issues. I even hit a few bike park days here in Colorado with them. Now Crank Brothers....I have blowup up two of those and every person I know with them has has issue. Mallets that is.

@declanmtb: @declanmtb: I had that issue with Saints and my 2FO's too until I upgraded the pins to aftermarket 12mm through ones. A bag of those allen bolts cost next to nothing. Transformed the grip.. and then I bought Burgtec Penthouse MK4's and got a lesson in REAL grip on the 2FO. Saints pale by comparison, but were tough buggers for me.

@declanmtb: They were pricey right enough, but significantly different, the larger platform is something I dint think I needed but it feels better for me with eur44/uk9 sized 2FO's. For what to original Saints cost, they were great for me I have to say. Try the pin upgrade though - Big difference for not alot of $$$.